Cost of Sailing

[dunedin]

I've been refraining from saying how much it cost to keep my boat in Scotland. It makes the costs down south look like lunacy. But to summarise, I've owned a yacht for eleven years and in that time have spent a total of about £1500 on marina berthing (not including time away crusing).

Not sure what “marina” you kept your boat in, but under £140 per annum (per boat, not per metre) is hardly a typical Scottish marina berthing price.
Even outside the Clyde, looks like nearer £400 / metre in places around Oban, so £4,000 pa for a 10m boat.
(More in places like Largs and Kip in the Clyde.)
Clearly some smaller facilities were built using public money and give very preferential rates to locals.

 

[Graham376]

Perhaps if I were to fly my blue ensign .. . .

Oh dear, one of those? Berthed in Saint Martin de Re one time, large HR rafted on us. Some Frenchman asked HR skipper why he had a blue flag when ours was red. He replied "We're members of a superior class of club, we have Royal approval" to which a nearby Irishman flying Royal Irish ensign shouted "toffee nosed tw*t". HR skipper's face matched his pink trousers

 

[capnsensible]

Oh dear, one of those? Berthed in Saint Martin de Re one time, large HR rafted on us. Some Frenchman asked HR skipper why he had a blue flag when ours was red. He replied "We're members of a superior class of club, we have Royal approval" to which a nearby Irishman flying Royal Irish ensign shouted "toffee nosed tw*t". HR skipper's face matched his pink trousers

Really. Those provincial proles should be seen and not heard. ??

 

[Kelpie]

Not sure what “marina” you kept your boat in, but under £140 per annum (per boat, not per metre) is hardly a typical Scottish marina berthing price.
Even outside the Clyde, looks like nearer £400 / metre in places around Oban, so £4,000 pa for a 10m boat.
(More in places like Largs and Kip in the Clyde.)
Clearly some smaller facilities were built using public money and give very preferential rates to locals.

I'll admit I was being a little facetious. I keep my boat on a mooring, which I own outright. Three times I've chosen to take a winter berth (no local discount, and yes it's a proper marina with full shelter, electricity, etc). I think the last time cost me £50/m for six months.
It's amazing how much cheaper things get when you venture north of Oban...

 

[lustyd]

It's amazing how much cheaper things get when you venture north of Oban...

You mean how much cheaper they look when you compare the very cheapest option at one end of the country with the most expensive at the other?

 

[penfold]

May I make a request to the admins? - when anyone requests information about sailing on the Scottish West Coast, can this post by Lustyd be an automatically posted response please?

My anchorages have been far too busy this year and I would appreciate more boats buggering back off to the Solent.

Too right; it's horrible up here, you wouldn't like it. Duffle coats only and that's in summer!

 

[Minerva]

Too right; it's horrible up here, you wouldn't like it. Duffle coats only and that's in summer!

Too right. I don’t think I sailed with the third reef shook out this year! When it was not blowing a hoolie the midge we’re out in force - they were so thick it looked like a black Fog!

Although the boat got kept clean with the constant fresh water rain which never stopped all year. Had to keep tacking so both sides got the horizontal rain.

At least food was bountiful with plenty options for deep fried Mars bars - even in a tempura batter; the height of decadence!

 

[roblpm]

Too right. I don’t think I sailed with the third reef shook out this year! When it was not blowing a hoolie the midge we’re out in force - they were so thick it looked like a black Fog!

Although the boat got kept clean with the constant fresh water rain which never stopped all year. Had to keep tacking so both sides got the horizontal rain.

At least food was bountiful with plenty options for deep fried Mars bars - even in a tempura batter; the height of decadence!

I think you are just saying that to put people off.... ?

I just watched that Ben Fogle Sacred Islands thing on Iplayer and in 4 episodes of Inner and Outer Hebrides and Shetland it never rained once!

The time I went to St Kilda we motored all the way as there was no wind. Following year we went back for the St Kilda race and were becalmed. Maybe you are a rain god and I am an anti wind god?

 

[steve yates]

You will be aware that there are travel and VAT issues in getting to the mainland depending on how long you want to use the boat and length of time you keep it on the mainland.

The vat issue is easily solved surely by sailing 12 miles offshore for 24 hours? The travel issues will be nothing compared to £11k pa for berth costs.

 

[steve yates]

I'm not. If you look at the cost of marina berths elsewhere in the UK the Solent offers exceptional value for money. The number of options for both short day sails and weeks away is enormous, as are the number of berths and anchorages with pubs and restaurants in walking distance. It offers all weather sailing for all abilities as well as a huge range of racing options and clubs as well as more training options than anywhere else in the UK. It also benefits from easy access for a large part of the population who can only afford a boat by being tethered to London and surrounding area. Nowhere else in the UK offers even half of this, so it's unsurprising other options are cheaper.

Money isn't everything, and cost is different to value

Cost is indeed different to value, and if it suits you, great. But I would never call South Coast marina berthing exceptional value for money, in any circumstances.

 

[Gwylan]

Well we swallowed the anchor about 12 months ago.
We agreed never to discuss what it cost, along with skiing and holidays.

We kept a separate accounts and dumped money in it every month.
Replaced the boat with a camper of almost the same price.
Decided to keep the old boat slush fund running. Checked recently and we have more than 6k sitting in it. Says something about the cost of boating.
But I do miss it. Campervan types are so much odder than boaty types.

 

[penfold]

I just watched that Ben Fogle Sacred Islands thing on Iplayer and in 4 episodes of Inner and Outer Hebrides and Shetland it never rained once!

That's the special TV anti-precipitation lense, it makes it look like the Bahamas while in reality it's sleeting horizontally and everyone is dressed like Nanook of the North. Then there's the terrifying vampire midges which can eat their way through Sunbrella in as little as 5 minutes.

 

[lustyd]

Cost is indeed different to value, and if it suits you, great. But I would never call South Coast marina berthing exceptional value for money, in any circumstances.

I can't think of somewhere offering better value for money in the UK than the Solent, can you?

 

[awol]

I can't think of somewhere offering better value for money in the UK than the Solent, can you?

That says a lot about your powers of imagination.

 

[Graham376]

I can't think of somewhere offering better value for money in the UK than the Solent, can you?

North Wales and the Irish Sea. Ireland, Scotland and Isle of Man all within easy reach as well as Anglesey. Maybe the conditions are bit rough though for Solent sailors

 

[Sailfree]

Well we swallowed the anchor about 12 months ago.
We agreed never to discuss what it cost, along with skiing and holidays.

We kept a separate accounts and dumped money in it every month.
Replaced the boat with a camper of almost the same price.
Decided to keep the old boat slush fund running. Checked recently and we have more than 6k sitting in it. Says something about the cost of boating.
But I do miss it. Campervan types are so much odder than boaty types.

The rules are coming.

Portugal has introduced new laws on where camper vans can legally stop.

We are coming to an age when before we do anything we have to read a large book on the current rules governing us . Oh Sh*1t that must be current affairs!! sorry Guv!!

 

[Graham376]

The rules are coming.
Portugal has introduced new laws on where camper vans can legally stop.
We are coming to an age when before we do anything we have to read a large book on the current rules governing us . Oh Sh*1t that must be current affairs!! sorry Guv!!

The law passed earlier this year which forced camper vans in to licensed parks has been rescinded. Turned out the minister's spouse had a vested interest, which wasn't much of a surprise in Portugal. I hear vans can now be slept in for 3 nights before moving to another location.

 

[lustyd]

North Wales and the Irish Sea. Ireland, Scotland and Isle of Man all within easy reach as well as Anglesey. Maybe the conditions are bit rough though for Solent sailors

By every measure I can think of those offer worse value for money than the Solent. I don’t disagree that they offer some nice sailing but we’re talking value for money here. The cost of mooring is not that much less but you get access to fewer short sail destinations, fewer foreign destinations, less racing, fewer clubs, pubs, worse location for jobs, fewer options for chandleries and services, the list goes on. If you’re going to suggest somewhere is better value then explain why it’s better value. And let’s not start with pointless insults ok?

 

[lustyd]

That says a lot about your powers of imagination.

And what does this short reply with no content say about yours?

 

[nortada]

By every measure I can think of those offer worse value for money than the Solent. I don’t disagree that they offer some nice sailing but we’re talking value for money here. The cost of mooring is not that much less but you get access to fewer short sail destinations, fewer foreign destinations, less racing, fewer clubs, pubs, worse location for jobs, fewer options for chandleries and services, the list goes on. If you’re going to suggest somewhere is better value then explain why it’s better value. And let’s not start with pointless insults ok?

Having sailed the Solent waters for many years but also the East Coast (Thames to The Deben), I think the East Coast offers everything the Solent does and more, at a fraction of the price. It is equally accessible from London and, Oh Yes, the weather factor is much better. ??